New discoveries and technological advances have increased the oil industry's ability to increase production in recent years, pushing global maximum oil production to 98 million barrels per day for longer than initially expected, Total SA's Chairman and Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie said Tuesday. Global oil production should plateau at that level for some time before dropping as reserves gradually deplete, de Margerie said during a meeting with the Anglo-American Press Association in Paris. Technological constraints led the French oil major to estimate in 2007 that the "peak oil" production rate would be at around 95 million barrels per day,...

Over the years, I’ve shared some outrageous examples of overpaid bureaucrats. The chief bureaucrat of a low-income California city getting almost $800,000 per year.Cops in Oakland getting average compensation of $188,000.A school superintendent in New York raking in more than $500 thousand of annual compensation.A Philadelphia bureaucrat, after working only 2-1/2 years, nailing down a guaranteed pension of $50,000 per year.A New York school bureaucrat simultaneously getting a $225,000 salary and $300,000 pension.California taxpayers being forced to pay a fired bureaucrat $550,000 for unused vacation time.An employee of the New Jersey Turnpike system raking in annual compensation of $320,000. Hopefully...

Following the lead set by Dana Loesch for raising money to ID the union thug that sucker punched Stephen Crowder, I recommend we create a REWARD FUND to collect donations from conservatives that will be immediately donated to any newly elected CONSERVATIVE Speaker of the House. Imagine IF we placed $100,000 (or more) into an escrow fund, only to be rewarded to any truly Conservative Speaker's PAC, otherwise ALL donated funds would be returned to ORIGINAL contributors. We could consider this new campaign a Christmas present to ourselves.

French report cites fighters from 'Army of Muhammad' While the Obama administration reportedly is moving toward recognizing the recently formed and supposedly “inclusive” Syrian National Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people, recent reports from in and around the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo make clear that Syrian rebel forces on the ground consist virtually exclusively of jihadists, including self-avowed veterans of the al-Qaida-led insurgency against American forces in Iraq. Thus, in a report that appeared last week in the French leftist daily Libération, correspondent Jean-Pierre Perrin describes visiting with one of the rebel militias that have infiltrated...

<p>London: Britain's Ministry of Defence says a Sikh soldier has become the first guardsman to parade outside Buckingham Palace while wearing his traditional turban. Fifty family members were on hand on Tuesday as Guardsman Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar as he took part in the changing of the guard at the London home of Queen Elizabeth II.</p>

WASHINGTON - Did you see the story about Costco borrowing $3.5 billion to pay a special $7 a share dividend to its stockholders before year's end to avoid being hit by President Obama's higher tax on investors? What makes this story especially juicy is that it reveals how Obama's fat cat supporters, who bankrolled his bid for a second term and embraced his proposed tax increases, have taken steps to shield themselves from the president's "tax the rich" fiscal folly. The tax avoidance maneuver, which Forbes magazine calls "a six-year advance on the company's current annual dividend of $1.10 per...

<p>A judge in Nacogdoches County has issued a temporary restraining order to halt work on the Keystone XL pipeline, according to court documents.</p>
<p>Attorneys for Trans-Canada, which is building the pipeline, said they will fight the order at a hearing set for Thursday and do not expect it to thwart construction of the pipeline, which has drawn opposition from environmentalists and some landowners in its path.</p>

The liquefied natural gas (LNG) division of Calgary-based Ferus LP successfully completed in October what the company believes to be the first-ever hydraulic fracturing operation utilizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) as engine fuel in North America. Ferus' LNG Division was engaged by a major oil and gas service company in the United States to conduct the pilot project, which involved six dual-fuel 2,250 horsepower pressure pumper units, powered by LNG, to stimulate well performance in the south Texas Eagle Ford shale. The dual fuel systems allow for natural gas and diesel to be consumed simultaneously with no decrease in performance,...

Citing blighted buildings, polluted property and poor air quality, Forbes Magazine named Bridgeport as the fourth "dirtiest city" in America. But look at the bright side Bridgeport residents: Your city is cleaner than Fresno, Calif.; Bakersfield, Calif.; and Philadelphia. "Green" Mayor Bill Finch, who has frequently touted the BGreen2020 sustainability initiative to improve the quality of life in Bridgeport, was among many from the city to take offense to the ranking. ... The image of Bridgeport put forth by Forbes was similar to its portrayal on FOX's animated comedy show "Family Guy" two years ago, casting the Park City as...

Exclusive: Jesse Lee Peterson asserts minorities have found 'a physical messiah' President Barack Obama is the most divisive man to ever occupy the White House –period! Yet, 95 percent of black Americans worship him as if he’s the messiah. Why? Actor and comedian Jamie Foxx recently took the stage at the Soul Train Awards and told the audience, “Thank God, and our lord and savior, Barack Obama!” Foxx called on the audience to stand up and clap for Obama. His outrageous remarks were broadcast on national television, yet not one nationally known black leader repudiated Foxx. Barack Obama’s ability to...

President Barack Obama travelled to Michigan this week and made his case for class war in defense of the welfare state. We need to take more money from the rich, he said, or schools will not be able to afford books, students will not be able to afford college, and disabled children will not get health care. "Our economic success has never come from the top down," said Obama. "It comes from the middle out.It comes from the bottom up." Obama spoke these words a few miles from Detroit -- the reductio ad absurdum of his argument. If America continues...

Welfare has become a characteristic of President Obama’s domestic policies. There has been a surge in American citizens on welfare over the last four years, including a 50-percent increase in people on food stamps (from 32 to 47 million). It is a form of welfareship. As a citizen of France, I know such a society very well. France has 60 years of experience with entrenched welfare policies, beholden to a kind of “welfareship.” It is a democratic society based heavily on welfare, and distrusting the values of free markets. In 2009, 11.2 million French persons received welfare payments, out a...

Union bosses are fuming at the prospect of a Michigan Right to Work law, but New Yorkers concerned about protecting employee freedom and reviving their state’s flagging economy should consider Michigan’s example. It’s hard to imagine the Empire State adopting a Right to Work law — but it would be right for businesses, taxpayers and workers. Big Labor’s top officials huff and puff about Right to Work laws, but they never tell you what they actually do. That’s because nearly 80 percent of Americans support the Right to Work principle when it’s presented to them in straightforward terms. Right to...

Iran has infiltrated a team of Quds Force terrorist leaders into the United States to attack from within in 2013, according to a source. The source within the office of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic regime, said the team is to create instability in America through terrorism should the U.S. fail to accept the regime’s illicit nuclear program, increase sanctions, confront Iran militarily or intervene in the Syrian civil war. Members of the team, no more than 10 Quds Force officers, each lead cells totaling about 50 terrorists already in the U.S. The source is risking...

President Obama argues that the election gave him a mandate to raise taxes on high earners, and the White House indicates that he won't compromise on this issue as the so-called fiscal cliff approaches. But tax rates are already high—much higher than is commonly understood—and increasing them will likely further depress the economy, especially by affecting the number of hours Americans work. Taking into account all taxes on earnings and consumer spending—including federal, state and local income taxes, Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, excise taxes, and state and local sales taxes—Edward Prescott has shown (especially in the Quarterly Review...

At-home 3D printing is on the rise, and what was once just a lofty promise is now a reality. More and more hobbyists are acquiring affordable printers, such as the Makerbot Replicator 2 and the RapMan Universal 3D (single/dual head) printer, to manufacture just about everything from toys to working clocks. Some hobbyists have used these printers for fast-prototyping items that are controversial -- or even deadly. It comes as no surprise that some would attempt to replicate weapons systems (or at least parts of them) in an effort to create a fully functional gun. It's not exactly clear who...

"I'm in the top two percent," said Peter Schiff, CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, this week on CNBC. "Right now, I'm paying 45 percent of my total income in income taxes ... You tell me, what's fair about that when medieval serfs pay 25 percent, I'm paying half? I don't care what the majority voted to do, they don't have a right to steal my money just because they vote for it." But according to most Americans, they do. And that's the problem. As America racks up more debt than God has ever seen on this earth, Barack Obama prepares...

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A resident shot an alleged robber Tuesday morning in east Bakersfield, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. The resident heard someone remove a screen and break a kitchen window to gain access to his home, so the resident armed himself with a handgun, the sheriff's office said. The suspect and resident came face to face in the hallway of the East Brundage Lane home, and the resident shot the suspect at least twice in the upper body. The alleged intruder, 26-year-old Arturo Jose Luis Estrada, got out of the house and stumbled about a half...

JAMIE DIMON: The Table Is Set For Booming 4% Growth, And 200K New Jobs Per Month Joe WeisenthalDecember 12,2012Jamie Dimon is on LIVE at the Dealbook conference talking fiscal cliff, the economy, and public policy. We're taking notes during his Q&A. Anything not in direct quotes. -- Says odds are politicians will do something between December 21 and December 28. -- On the impact of going over the cliff it might not be horrible... but it might be. -- 'We are one decision away from restoring our moral and fiscal authority in the world.... let's just do it."-- With...

For some reason, the quadrennial humiliation of the Republican presidential candidate now coincides with the release of the new Bond movie. Don't ask me why; probably a constitutional amendment I missed along the way. Last time round, Kevin Sessums interviewed Daniel Craig and, as a final question, asked which presidential nominee would make the better 007: Craig doesn't hesitate. "Obama would be the better Bond because — if he's true to his word — he'd be willing to quite literally look the enemy in the eye and go toe to toe with them. McCain, because of his long service and...

Katy Perry recently joined Taylor Swift, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, and French former first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in the ranks of prominent women who declined to identify themselves as feminists when prompted by reporters. Internet responses to this trend ranged from outrage over their false consciousness to snarky derision of their stupidity to concerned introspection about the failures of feminist branding. Another possibility that should be considered is that feminism seems largely irrelevant to an increasing number of Western women because it often appears to be at odds with their experience of reality and their desires. Bruni-Sarkozy explained, “I’m not...

THE NAME IS MISLEADING It isn't about a right to work but rather a right for workers to choose whether they want to join a union or pay fees that amount to union dues. The legislation prohibits what are known as "closed shops," where workers have no choice but to join a union or pay those fees. IT MOVED SWIFTLY The GOP majority used its superior numbers and backing from Gov. Rick Snyder to ramrod legislation through the House and Senate last week. They brushed aside denunciations and challenges by helpless Democrats and cries of outrage from thousands of union...

Like Scrooge McDuck or the dragon Smaug in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Germans are gathering vast quantities of gold - a study showed that the average German owns close to €6,000 worth of the shiny metal.Even though Europe's largest economy has weathered the world economic crisis relatively well, Germans have still been extra jittery about their savings, a study by the Steinbeis Research Center for Financial Services in Berlin revealed. Around 32 percent of the gold owned in Germany in the form of bars and coins was accumulated since the financial and economic crises began, the study concluded....

Adam Carolla wants to set the record straight. The broadcaster who once boastfully told "Loveline" listeners he was "literally" a millionaire isn't rich. He's successful. There's a difference, and it's one lost in the current debate over Democrats trying to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Carolla shared his thoughts on the matter with "The O'Reilly Factor" viewers last night.

In the scramble to make the GOP more diverse, a lot of people are looking at Asian Americans, whom many believe are a natural constituency for the party. I would love it if Asian Americans converted en masse to the Republican Party, but the challenge for Republicans is harder than many appreciate. President Obama did spectacularly well with Asian Americans, garnering nearly three-quarters of their vote. This runs counter to a lot of conventional wisdom on both the left and the right. On average, Asian American family income is higher and poverty is lower than it is for non-Latino whites....

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A resident shot an alleged robber Tuesday morning in east Bakersfield, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. The resident heard someone remove a screen and break a kitchen window to gain access to his home, so the resident armed himself with a handgun, the sheriff's office said. The suspect and resident came face to face in the hallway of the East Brundage Lane home, and the resident shot the suspect at least twice in the upper body. The alleged intruder, 26-year-old Arturo Jose Luis Estrada, got out of the house and stumbled about a half...

A gunman retreated from a Casper nail salon last week after realizing one of its customers was packing heat. Police say about 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, a man walked into Modern Nails at 2645 E. Second St. and asked a female employee if she wanted to buy some diamonds. The man walked toward the front desk area and the woman replied that she had no money to buy diamonds. A witness said the man then reached into his coat pocket and began to take out a silver-colored pistol. At that moment, a woman who was getting her nails done...

“Jim Jett always used to say that his brother was the damndest scoundrel that was ever borne,” drawled Abraham Lincoln, “but by the infinite mercy of providence he was also the damndest fool.” Jeffrey Immelt, the modern version of Jim Jett’s brother and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric, should be fired. Actually, if it’s possible, he should be fired twice: once because he’s a scoundrel and another time because he’s a fool. As a fool and as a scoundrel, the guy has wonderful timing; timing that can only be attributed to the vast Left-Wing conspiracy that aims to convince Americans...

Illinois' days as the only state in the nation to forbid public possession of a firearm could be numbered after a federal appellate court threw out a state ban and gave lawmakers six months to figure out a way to let people legally carry guns. The 2-1 ruling Tuesday by a 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Chicago affirmed a constitutional right to have ready-to-use firearms for self-defense outside the home. Gun owner groups declared a historic victory, claiming leverage to limit restrictions on who can possess a weapon as negotiations on a new state law unfold. Gun...

Lawyers for Rick and Ryin Reese, New Mexico gun dealers imprisoned without bail for well over a year, “filed a motion to release them until their sentencing date,” a source close to the case informed supporters this morning. “The motion is set for [a hearing on] Tuesday, December 18, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. in the Federal Courthouse in Judge Brack's courtroom,” the source announced. “Anyone who can attend would be WONDERFUL,” the source continued. “If you can't be there, please keep us in your prayers for release of the guys after 477 days in jail.” “The Reese family, facing up...

HSBC to Pay Record Fine in Money Laundering Case The U.S. Justice Department has filed court papers alleging felony criminal offenses against one of the world's largest banks, HSBC, in a New York federal court. HSBC announced earlier in the day that it has agreed to pay a record $1.92 billion fine to settle charges connected to a money laundering scheme in the United States. A U.S. Senate investigation published in July said HSBC had poor anti-money laundering controls in place and had shifted billions of dollars for Mexican drug lords, terrorists and governments under sanctions, including Iran and North...

How could a liberal actually be upset with the liberal media for their coverage of the 2012 presidential election? Well, Daniel Froomkin of The Huffington Post (formerly of the Washington Post) is furious. His complaint carried the headline "How the Mainstream Press Bungled the Single Biggest Story of the 2012 Campaign". What would that story be? Namely, the radical right-wing, off-the-rails lurch of the Republican Party, both in terms of its agenda and its relationship to the truth. Head Scratch Time. Who in the media didn't identify the Grand Old Party as burdened, infected and/or poisoned by their conservatives?...

With a federal court ruling Tuesday possibly paving the way for those in Illinois to carry concealed weapons, some suburban officials are pushing to overturn the decision while others are now figuring out how a new law would work. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday in a 2-1 opinion that state lawmakers have 180 days to write a new law that legalizes concealed carry in Illinois. State Rep. Ed Sullivan, a Mundelein Republican, called the ruling “historic” and said now the sides have to negotiate what kinds of fees, training and restrictions a concealed carry law in Illinois...

- Daily Reckoning - http://dailyreckoning.com - The Internet Is a DudPosted By Bill Bonner On December 11, 2012 @ 4:38 pm The world today looks almost identical to the world of the 1960s because there have been very few important innovations since then. But you will leap to reply — the internet! Alas, electronic technology does not seem to noticeably increase output of stuff. The Internet affects our quality of life in many ways, but not our standard of living.The Internet was more or less fully built out in the US in the year 2000. All of a sudden, knowledge...

CARSON CITY – A newly elected Republican state lawmaker plans to push forward with a bill next session to allow students and others with permits to carry concealed weapons on the campuses of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, R- Las Vegas, elected to Assembly District 4 in November, has submitted a bill draft request to prepare a measure for consideration in the 2013 legislative session. The one-line description for the request says: “Authorizes the possession of a concealed firearm on property of the Nevada System of Higher Education under certain circumstances.” Fiore, a lifetime member of...

Politicians claim they make our lives better by passing laws. But laws rarely improve life. They go wrong. Unintended consequences are inevitable. Most voters don't pay enough attention to notice. They read headlines. They watch the Rose Garden signing ceremonies and hear the pundits declare that progress was made. Bipartisanship! Something got done. We assume a problem was solved. Intuition tells us that government is in the problem-solving business, and so the more laws passed, the better off we are. The possibility that fewer laws could leave us better off is hard to grasp. Kids visiting Washington don't ask their...

Chirlane McCray and husband, NY Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, a mayoral candidate, respond to her declaration in 1979 Essence magazine, “I am a lesbian.” McCray said, “I’m going to use this as a platform to go out and do a lot of good.” Asked if she was no longer a lesbian, McCray said, “Sexuality is a fluid thing and it’s personal. I don’t even understand the question, quite frankly.” A top aide to Mayor Bloomberg applauded the couple. De Blasio insisted he wasn’t exploiting the issue for political gain. “We’re very proud of who we are. We want to...

Listening to the self-righteous protestations of the class warriors, one would come away with the impression that the rich don’t pay any taxes. In fact, the top 1% of tax filers paid 37.4% of all federal income taxes in 2010; the top 2% paid almost 50%. Unfortunately, when it comes to real handouts for the rich, liberals are silent. In their dyslexic worldview, a tax cut is a handout and a handout is a tax cut. That is why both Democrats and Republicans are plotting to surreptitiously slip in a farm bill to the final negotiations over the tax rates....

What a pity. Â If only someone had demonstrated the foresight to warn against the destructive consequences of Obamacare's medical device tax, they might have helped turn public sentiment sharply against the law prior to passage. Â Oh, that's right, conservatives did -- and the American people rose up in opposition. Â Now, the very actors who are most responsible for ignoring public demands and jamming through Obamacare are trying to "delay" or repeal a major element of their law, warning that it could stifle medical innovation and kill jobs. Â Welcome to the party, guys. Â You're about two years too late: Â U.S....

Not so many moons ago, President Obama urged us all to "make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds." He Who Heals advocated "a more civil and honest public discourse" in the wake of the January 2011 Tucson massacre. As usual, though, the White House has granted Big Labor bullies a permanent waiver from the lofty edicts it issues to everyone else. This week, menacing union goons unleashed threats, profanity and punches in Michigan, which is now poised to become a "right-to-work" state. Obama met the initial outbreak of...

Federal Judge McMahon rejected Hiram Monserrate’s tearful plea to stay free so he could care for sick relatives. “You should have thought about them before (looting city tax dollars to finance his campaign).” Montserrate has to repay $79,000 tax dollars he connived while serving on the NY City Council w/ the rest to be paid by co-conspirator Javier Cardenas, who ratted out Monserrate. Monserrate steered $100,000 to Cardenas’ non-profit "Latino Initiative for Better Resources and Empowerment" which took a cut and laundered the rest for Monserrate’s failed 2006 state Senate bid. After sentencing, the convicted Democrat embraced the ex-girlfriend he...

(NaturalNews) It is the ultimate example of how you reap what you sow: Huge numbers of American workers who voted for Obama are now seeing their own jobs slashed below 30 hours a week as employers desperately try to avoid "Obamacare bankruptcy." Obamacare mandates for businesses only apply to those working 30 hours a week or more, and while many businesses do not want to cut workers' hours, they are being forced to in order to stay afloat. This necessary action is causing businesses to lose money and become less competitive while at the same time destroying American jobs. Some...

While Americans were going about their lives Wednesday evening, the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), said to provide the government with great means to fight terrorism. One of its provisions would permit government law enforcement authorities to detain terror suspects without trial and thus eviscerate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution that protect citizens "against unreasonable searches and seizures" and to ensure that "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a grand jury..." with some exceptions. On December...

Policymakers are also likely to repeat a pledge to keep buying bonds until the labor market outlook improves substantially. A drop in the jobless rate to 7.7 percent in November from 7.9 percent in October was driven by workers exiting the labor force, a fact certain to disappoint the Fed. "The economic environment seems ripe for those at the Fed who support continued accommodation," said Victor Li, professor at the Villanova School of Business and a former St. Louis Fed economist. As its last program of Treasury purchases, known as Operation Twist, draws to a close, officials look set to...

Seven Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, including Connecticut, announced plans Tuesday to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying it is violating the Clean Air Act by failing to address methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, which has boomed in states such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia. New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said in a news release Tuesday that the EPA is violating the Clean Air Act by failing to address the emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and the oil and gas industry is the largest source of emissions in this country. Other major sources come...

Object seen in orbit after North Korea carries out controversial rocket launch By Jethro Mullen, CNN December 12, 2012 -- Updated 0907 GMT (1707 HKT) Hong Kong (CNN) -- North Korea surprised and angered the international community Wednesday by launching a long-range rocket that appeared to put a satellite in orbit, a breakthrough for the reclusive, nuclear-armed state. The North Korean regime said the rocket had successfully blasted off from a space center on its west coast and delivered a satellite into its intended orbit. The launch followed a botched attempt in April and came just days after Pyongyang suggested...

David Cameron is imperilling the “entire political credibility” of the Conservative Party by supporting same-sex marriage, a Tory MP has said. Brian Binley accused the Prime Minister of chasing headlines instead of making responsible policies. …

These are pictures of the amazing Salute Our Troops event from the Venetian/Palazzo last weekend. I’ll tell you more about it in a moment. But first, a little about the place. The workforce at Sheldon Adelson’s Venetian/Palazzo resort and casino in Las Vegas is non-union. It’s the only right-to-work sanctuary amidst the Big Labor-locked hotel complexes on the Vegas strip. As such, the Venetian/Palazzo has been a perennial target for disruptive union goons who can’t stand to see a successfully run mega-business with happy employees — not one of whom is forced to work there or forced to fork over...